


A New Recruit

by Fericita



Category: Downton Abbey, Mercy Street (TV)
Genre: F/M, implied Emma/Henry, implied Sybil/Tom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:20:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27962933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fericita/pseuds/Fericita
Summary: Sybil was always daring; Emma should have guessed she would volunteer to nurse.For Downton Abbey crossover day, Mercy Street Advent: Silver and AU.  Thanks @jomiddlemarch for the prompt and thanks @the-spaztic-fantastic for beta-ing; I promise to get back to Agduna soon!
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7
Collections: Mercy Street Crossover Advent Silver and AU





	A New Recruit

“Sybil! Sybil Crawley! I didn’t expect to see you here!” Emma rushed to her friend and then paused, wiping her hands on the mostly clean apron and tucking wisps of hair behind her ears. It was a constant reminder that she was on her own now, and only just barely managing, none of Belinda’s superior skills attending to her appearance. 

“I expected to see you! Alice told me you were here.”

“You spoke with Alice?” Alice hadn’t seen most of their friends since Tom died, preferring to skulk about on errands for Tom’s mother. Though what Alice did now was most assuredly not of Emma’s concern. Emma left her home knowing more was going on than she could bear to witness, and cast her lot with the Yankees.

“At the Relief Society. We were ripping sheets to make bandages and Alice said you’ve been nursing some of our boys here. I wanted to come help.” She gestured to her dress, a plain morning dress that Emma could tell lay atop petticoats and not a hoop skirt. This was Sybil, ready to work.

Emma had last seen Sybil when the hospital was still a hotel and they were sipping tea from china cups with matching saucers. The same set Mother had cried over when the Yankees smashed it on purpose as they cleared out cupboards for the vinegar and molasses and cornmeal that constituted rations. Sybil had been in the latest fashions – a skirt and blouse instead of a dress. Her jacket had been made of silk and trimmed with braid, the skirt deeply pleated and her satin shoes not visible except when she lifted her hem for a moment to show them off to Emma. Always a bit daring in fashion and now more than a little daring in how she was spending her time.

“I am, I’m nursing. You’ll find the place quite altered,” Emma said, speaking gently, starting to falter a bit in how to express what the hotel had become. “And not all of the men are Confederates. Some –”

“I know. I know that, Emma. I know who I’ll find here.”

She watched as Sybil’s eye caught that of a soldier in Union blues, who tipped his hat to her as he walked by carrying a barrel, heading towards the kitchens. The soldier looked back and winked at a blushing Sybil just as Henry walked in, supporting a cavalry officer who was limping heavily and Emma wondered if she could say the same.

**Author's Note:**

> Dead Tom is Tom Fairfax, Alice's beaux in Mercy Street. Tom Branson alive and well and winking at Sybil here!


End file.
